Cody's murder conviction upheldLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Court of Appeals on Monday upheld Andrew James "A.J." Cody's murder conviction. Cody, 28, had requested a new trial because he said the prosecutor in his trial acted inappropriately. The appeals court denied Cody's request. Background A jury convicted Cody on June 20 and sentenced him to 20 years in prison for the May 2012 shooting death of 65-year-old Lee Britton. Cody maintained that Britton had sexually assaulted ...

2 arrested in '09 murderTwo men were arrested on a charge of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in connection with the 2009 shooting death of Clint Brown. “This case has been open and worked since day one,” Sheriff Aaron DuVall said in a release. “The sheriff’s office, the Arkansas State Police and the Fifth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney’s Office have all worked closely over the past years on this case, and it has paid off." Michael Hall, 25, and Nathan Hull,...

Police participate in holiday amnestyThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) and Johnson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) are each participating in a holiday amnesty program. RPD Public Information Officer Drew Latch said the department will provide amnesty until Jan. 1 for non-violent misdemeanor warrants. "It is for people who come in voluntarily, not for those who get stopped on the streets," Latch said. "We will issue them a court date to get their problems resolved." The JCSO...

Russellville couple involved in rape investigationA Russellville man and his fiancee were order held in lieu of a combined $135,000 bond in connection with a September sexual assault. Martin Standridge, 27, could face a rape charge, while Violet Abel, 27, could face a charge of hindering apprehension. On Nov. 17, the Pope County Sheriff's Office received a report accusing Standridge of raping a 14-year old girl at his home on Sept. 1, an officer testified. Officers reportedly arrested Standri...

Bond hearings (Dec. 6)The following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear Jan. 12 in Circuit Court. • Annette Cisneroz, 43, three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and three counts of theft — $10,000. A Russellville Police Department officer testified that on Nov. 24-26, Cisneroz allegedly stole three wallet...

Sedgwick woman pleads guilty to murder charge JONESBORO (AP) — A Sedgwick woman has been sentenced to 37 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a man in Craighead County. The Jonesboro Sun reported Elizabeth McKnatt, 26, entered the plea Thursday as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. McKnatt and 23-year-old David Ferguson of Sedgwick were charged in the Jan. 20 stabbing death of Silva Joe Fry at Fry's home in Egypt. McKnatt said outsi...

Ward's murder trial delayedDANVILLE —Samuel Lee Ward's pretrial hearing on charges of first-degree murder, battery and witness bribery, scheduled for Thursday, was delayed due to an attorney change. Ward, 26, is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing March 5, 2015, at the Yell County Courthouse in Danville. Jury selection is scheduled to begin March 19, 2015. The prosecution alleged that in July, Ward shot his 20-weeks-pregnant wife, Shauna, in the back before drivi...

Fire at Dollarway High School in Pine Bluff PINE BLUFF (AP) — A fire at Dollarway High School in Pine Bluff is being investigated as arson. Police told KATV paper was placed on a stove and the stove was turned on — leading to the Thursday morning fire inside a computer lab. The fire was reported about 6 a.m. Thursday and led to extensive smoke damage. Police also say the school principal's office was vandalized.

2 charged in truck slaying MARKED TREE (AP) — A man and a woman in northeast Arkansas are charged with murder in the death of a man found fatally shot under a burning truck. Christopher Terrell, 48, and Betty Grant, 40, were charged Wednesday with first-degree murder. Prosecutors say the pair killed 49-year-old James Hunt, whose body was found Saturday by deputies who responded to the vehicle fire near Marked Tree. Poinsett County Sheriff Larry Mills says Hunt had been ...

Man gets 10 years in sex assault case FORT SMITH (AP) — A northwest Arkansas man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting an underage girl. The Southwest Times Record reported Michael Harris, 41, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to first-degree sexual assault. He was also given a 20-year suspended sentence. The victim says Harris assaulted her while she was spending the night at his home for his daughter's sleepover in March. Harris tells autho...

Bond hearingsThe following individual appeared during felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Her name, age, anticipated charge and bond amount is listed. If charged, she will appear Jan. 5 in Circuit Court. • B'Shara Bishop, 19, theft of property — $2,500. Bishop stole approximately $4,785 from a cash register at a local store where she was an employee, according to a police report. Bishop allegedly admitted the theft. An inves...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear Jan. 5, 2015, in Circuit Court. • Latisha Holland, 40, theft of property — $2,500. On Oct. 29, a local restaurant manager reported that Holland, an employee, was suspected of stealing by voiding out orders paid for with cash and pocketing the ...

Ferguson officer who shot Michael Brown resigns FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — The Ferguson police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown has resigned, his attorney said Saturday, nearly four months after the confrontation between the white officer and unarmed black 18-year-old that ignited protests in the St. Louis suburb and across the nation. Darren Wilson, who has been on administrative leave since the Aug. 9 shooting, resigned effective immediately, said his attorney, Neil Bruntrager. He decline...

Search for missing 2-year-old resumes in Searcy The search for a missing toddler in central Arkansas entered its seventh day Saturday without any sign of the child, Searcy police said. Two-year-old Malik Drummond's father and stepmother reported him missing last Sunday, saying he was last seen inside their home "Pretty much, we've canvassed just about every bit of Searcy," a town of about 23,000 about 50 miles northeast of Little Rock, said Cpl. Steve Hernandez. The focus has generally been...

Bond hearingsThe following individual appeared during felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. His name, age, anticipated charges and bond amount is listed. If charged, he will appear Dec. 15 in Circuit Court. • Erin Wilbanks, 21, residential burglary, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal mischief — $5,000. Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, a broker and a potential buyer found the back door of a vacant house busted and, through a w...

Ferguson residents clean up, hope for calm night FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Business owners and residents boarded up windows and cleared away debris Wednesday as Ferguson sought a tentative return to normal after two nights of unrest over the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case. Protesters continued to hold scattered demonstrations, including a group that rushed into St. Louis City Hall screaming "Shame, shame." Police locked down the building and called in more than a hundred extra offi...

4 people shot at Pennsylvania mall barbershop READING, Pa. (AP) — Four people have been shot at an eastern Pennsylvania strip mall barbershop where another shooting happened a day earlier. Reading police Chief Robert Heim says one person has been critically injured in the shooting while the other three have suffered minor injuries. Authorities say no one is in custody. The Reading Eagle newspaper stated the shooting happened Wednesday afternoon at the All Stars Hair Salon and Unisex Hair ...

Judge drops charges against ex-treasurer LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge dismissed mail fraud charges against a former Arkansas treasurer Wednesday and directed officials to work on recommendations for a penalty for her previous conviction on 14 bribery and extortion counts. Prosecutors had told the judge Tuesday they would drop 10 mail fraud charges against Martha Shoffner after determining that due to the earlier convictions any additional penalty wouldn't be worth the effort. T...

Gov. Mike Beebe announces intent to pardon 15 LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Gov. Mike Beebe intends to grant 15 pardons. The list released Wednesday does not include Beebe's son — Kyle Beebe — who was convicted of felony marijuana possession in 2003. The governor has said he intends to pardon his son and spokesman Matt DeCample said Kyle Beebe will be on next month's list. The 15 include Timothy Allen of Texarkana, Texas; Bobby Clark of Cabot; Judy Cockrell of Hamburg; Todd Fitzgerald of Sherwood; R...